Dog racing apparatus



NOV- 20, 1934 H. B. sTAvER 1,981,678

DOGr RAC ING APPARATUS Filed May 24, 1935 be run off the main ports the lure 12 a measure serves UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Harry B. sewer, chicago, 111. Application May 24, 1933; seria1N0.672,622

4 ol'aims.' (o1. 1154-100) VThis invention relates to'dog racing apparatus and is particularly concerned withthe rail track on which thecar supporting The principal object of the I vide imp roved means,

switch, for permitting the lure is mounted. invention is to proin the form of a novel the car to be run off the main rail track onto a side track leading into a suitably shielded escape while continuing to travel at a high rate of s peed.

Other more specicv objects and advantagesof the invention will be apparent upon a full under-y standing of-theconstruction, :arrangement and operation of the switch. H l

One form of the invention is presented herein for the purpose of course be appreciated exemplication, but it will of that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other structurally modiiied forms coming equally within the scope of the appended cl In the accompanying aims.

drawing; f-

Fig. 1 isa plan view of one portion of an oval dog racing course, at the location of the vrail track leading to the escape, showing the improved switch;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the main rail track, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the car Fig. 3 is a rear the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

the switch is set and the lure;

of the switch, taken on in the position in which when the car is to continue view around the main rail track; p

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section through the switch, taken Fig. 5 is another rear view the position in wh Fig. 6 is a side between the rearend track; and

Fig. 7 is a side the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

of the switch, in it is set when the car is to track onto the side track; View of the hinge connection of the switch and the main ich View of the hinge connection between the rear end of the switch and the side track.

In Fig. 1 a

racing course 10 is short section of a regulation oval dog shown. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the carriage 11 which suptravel on a mono completely about the course;

though not along the outer side of the course,

to fence in that preferably,

mented preferably same, while the fined by a fence At one point in other 15 of any suitable construction.

above the course is mounted to the course a side track 16, of

vstraight-away sections of the course and at the beginning of one of the curved sections. At the place where the side track 16 diverges from the lrrxaintrack 13 a gap is provided in the'latter and this gap is occupied by the novel switch 17 which formsv the subject matter of the present invention.

The switch c1'7 includes two track rails 18 and 19, each of-which, like the main rail track 13 and the side rail track 16, is characterized by Vertically spacedv top. and bottom wheel-engaging rail heads 20. The rails 18 and 19 are connected 70 rigidly together by brackets 21, with their rear ends 22 and`23 spaced apart from each other inV substantially the same horizontal plane and with theirfront ends 24 and 25 spaced apart from each other in a vertical plane. In other words, the rails 18 and'19 of the switch when Viewed from the side appear to converge toward their rear ends and when viewed from the top appear to diverge toward their rear ends. The rear end 22 of the rail 18 is connected to the adjacent 80 end 26 of the main rail track 13, at the rear end of the gap in the latter, by a hinge 27 which permits the rail 18 to be swung from its normal horizontal position shown in Fig. 3 Vswitching position shown yin Fig. 5. The rear end 23 of the rail 19 is similarly connected to the adjacent end 28 of the side track 16, but in this case the hinge 29 is inverted with respect to the hinge 27 in order to permit the rail 19 to be swung from its normal inoperative lowered position shown in Fig. 3 into its horizontal switching position shown in Fig. 5.

When the switch 1'7 is set to cause the car 11 to continue around the main track 13, as shown in Fig. 3, the front end 24 of the rail 18 of the 95 vswitch is disposed in end-to-end abutting registry with the adjacent end 30 of the track 13; and, when the switch is set to cause the car to runoff onto the side track 16, as shown in Fig.

5, the front end 25 of the rail 19 of the switch 100 is disposed in end-to-end abutting registry with the same end 30 of the ltrack 13.

The means employed for moving the switch 17 back and forth between the positions shownin Figs. 3ar1d 5 consists of a bell crank -lever 31 105 which is pivoted to a fixed base 32 at 33. One arm 34 of the lever 31 is pivotally connected to a small cross head 35 which travels on a roller 36 in a longitudinally extending guideway 3'? formed in the end 25 of the lower ra11 section 110' 19 of the switch, while the other arm 38 of the lever 3l is pivotally connected to one end of a long push-and-pull control rod 39 which is supported at intervals in bearing brackets 40 and terminates at a remote point in a suitably constructed operating handle (not shown). By rocking the bell crank lever 31 with the rod 39, the switch may be moved into either one of the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

When a mono-rail type track and carriage is employed, as in this particular embodiment, the main rail 13, which carries the electrical connections for the motor of the car ll, may be housed throughout its length by an overhanging shield li1, which shield will also serve to conceal the upperl portion of the car as it travels along the track. At the location of the switch, a section of the shield corresponding in length thereto is mounted on the rail 18 for movement as a unit therewith. Any suitable stops or latches may be employed, either at the front end of the switch or at the location of the control handle, for definitely limiting the extreme positions of the switch and thereby insure correct registration of the rail sections.

I claim:

1. In dog racing apparatus, an endless monorail track at one side of a course,` a motorized lure-supporting car having wheels which engage with the upper and lower edges of the track, a mono-rail track leading 01T to an escape, a switch between the main track and the escape track characterized by two vertically movable mono-rail track sections, a pivoted bell crank lever having one arm which is slidably connected with the switch, and a long operating rod which is pivotally connected with the other arm of the bell crank lever.

2. In dog racing apparatus, an endless course having an endless rail track at one side of the same, a motorized lure-supporting car on the track, a rail track leading oi to an escape, and a switch between the main track and the escape track characterized by two track sections which are pivoted respectively to the main track and the escape track and are movable as a unit into positions wherein either one or the other is in register with the main track.

3. In dog racing apparatus, an endless rail track at one side of a course provided with a movable bridge section which is pivotally connected at its rear end to the track to permit movement of its front end into or out of register with the break in the track, a motorized luresupporting car mounted on the track, another rail track diverging from the main track to an escape and provided adjacent said bridge section with a` movable switch section which is pivotally mounted at its rear end to the escape track to permit movement of its front end into or out of register with the break in the main track, and means for moving said track sections in unison whereby to place one or the other in register with the break in the main track.

4. In dog racing apparatus, an endless rail track at one side of a course provided with a movableV bridge section which is pivotally connected at its rear end to the track to permit vertical movement of its front end into or out of register with the break in the track, a motorized lure-supporting car mounted on the track, another rail track diverging from the main track to an escape and provided adjacent said bridge section with a movable switch section which is pivotally mounted at its rear end to the escape track to permit vertical movement 'A of its front end into or out of register with the break in the main track, and means for moving said track sections in unison whereby to place one or the other in register with the break in the main track.

HARRY B. STAVER.

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